Unilever Case Study: Every Cuppa Counts

March 18, 2010

by Added Value

There’s nothing quite like a nice cup of tea. A delicious hot brew, made just the way you like it. But for most, the ritual of their daily cuppa is far, far removed from the tea terraces of Africa and Asia.

Not so for consumer goods giant Unilever. They’re in the business of tea. They are responsible for two major brands, PG Tips and Lipton. Loved by tea drinkers the world over. And they’ve made a pledge. To ensure the production of those brands is both healthy and respectful of local producers and the environment. An important step towards creating a more sustainable industry.

But how to let people know? How to turn a commitment into strategy? And a strategy into a campaign?

Unilever asked us to help them express their commitment. To find a way to communicate what they’re doing in way that is relevant to the two different brands.

To get the project on the boil, our sustainability team reviewed their knowledge of the issues. They considered industry best practice and what options might work best for each brand.

Concept development allowed ideas to steep. Different expressions of commitment were stirred around. With different levels of emphasis for environmental and social issues.

Then we asked consumers what they thought. Both mainstream tea drinkers, to gauge relevance and understanding. And ‘progressive’ consumers, to tap into future attitudes.

The insight? Every cuppa counts.

In 2008, both brands launched successful campaigns. Brought to life from the insight.

The PG Tips ‘do your bit’ campaign shared the power of the common cuppa in an friendly engaging way. And in France and the UK, Lipton’s ‘small cup, big difference’ campaign delivered sales increases and attractive distribution partnerships. In the UK, PG Tips sales increased 5% and in Italy, Lipton sales increased by 10%.

How did we Add Value?
We share Unilever’s belief in the power of sustainable marketing. We leveraged our knowledge of sustainable issues. And we helped PG Tips and Lipton create distinct and memorable campaigns to communicate their commitment to a better way of producing tea. That every cuppa counts.